


Skin

by ltskiki



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Dermatillomania, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mostly Fluff, Recovery, Self-Harm, Skin picking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 17:46:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4675685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ltskiki/pseuds/ltskiki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Mabel has dermatillomania and self harm scars. Takes place during Irrational Treasure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skin

"Mabel?"

Dipper knocked softly the attic's door, trying not to startle his sister.

"Go away, Dipper." Came a muffled reply. She sounded like she was under the covers.

"You know I can't." He didn't like mentioning it, none the less using it as black mail, but her safety was more important.

"I don't like leaving you alone when you're upset like this."

There was no reply. Dipper was started to get worried, but before he could voice his concern, the door swung open.

She hadn't put her sweater back on. Whether it was the heat finally getting to her, or Pacifica's remarks he wasn't sure.

"I can't believe you still don't trust me!" Her voice was raw from crying, and he felt a pang of regret.

"I just don't want you-you know.."

"I'm done with that! I've told you a million times! Look for yourself." 

Mabel almost never let him she her arms, only for brief moments when she was changing or sleeping could he see them, and even then he could tell she hated him staring. It was one of the few insecurities his older sibling had.

She held up her arms for him to examine, blowing a strand of hair out of her face in frustration. She was telling the truth.

Her arms were littered with round scars long scabbed over, some increasingly deep from picking and scratching the healing flesh. The soft insides of her upper arms told a worse story. There was evidence of scars only a few months old, random slashes haphazardly crossing one another. Convinced, Dipper averted his eyes and sat down onto his bed.

"Okay, I believe you. I just had to ask."

Mabel sighed again, sitting next to him. "I know. If I did the same thing a few months ago, you would have been right." Her fave suddenly scrunched up in anger. "That was so stupid! I cant believe I did that."

"Mabel! You didn't do anything wrong, tons of people have scars, and it's not like any were new."

"Yeah," She agreed, her voice cracking. "But now everybody knows. Even Pacifica." She spat out the name.

Dipper thought back to earlier in the day, remembering how the blonde girl's insults had hurt Mabel, and his initial shock when she pulled off her sweater onstage.

"I just didn't want her to think I was silly."

He recalled Northwest's shocked face as they scanned what was under his sister's yarn sleeves. It was bad enough that her enemy saw something so personal, but everyone else did, too. Grunkle Stan had immediately gotten up and tried to help her off the stage, but she brushed him off and ran all the way back to the Shack.

"Now everyone thinks I'm a freak. A silly freak."

"Who cares what Pacifica thinks? I'm sure Soos and Grunkle Stan will understand."

"What if he kicks me out? Nobody wants a crazy person living with them."

"Mabel! You're not crazy. Just because you used to do something bad doesn't mean you are bad."

"But I still want to! My skin is always so itchy, and nothing helps. It's like I have bugs crawling under there and I need to get them out."

He remembered the worse nights, where she came to him crying about the pain and he had filled the tub with bath milk, and rubbed calamine lotion over her marred skin, hoping to relieve the lain he knew wasn't really there.

He saw her scratching her elbows, her eyes threatening to spill over. He gently moved her hands away and brought her into a hug.

"You're my sister no matter what,you know that, right?"

"Right."

**Author's Note:**

> There will likely be another chapter where Stan confronts the twins about her scars and they explain what happened to him, Soos, and Wendy


End file.
